ARTICLE

My First Home Office: The Must-Have Tech For Home Leavers

December 14, 2023 - 4 min read

So you’ve made the leap and moved into your own place. Congrats! Whether you’re settling into a rental, share house or newly purchased digs, chances are there’ll be bills to pay and work to be done. Time to designate a room – or quiet corner – as your new home office, and kit it out with the essential tech to fuel your productivity and keep you adulting like a pro. Here’s what you’ll need.

Where To Put Your Home Office

Carving out the perfect space for your home office means considering everything you’ll need for your work day. Spoiled for space? Go ahead and designate a whole room! If not, simply find a quiet, cosy corner with the following:

Access to power
A strong internet connection
Smart lighting

The Computer

Laptop or desktop? It’s up to you! If you work between home and the office, a lightweight, portable laptop is a reliable option. The latest models come packed with useful features like LEDs for minimising eye strain (great for when you’re putting in overtime or pulling an all-nighter before exams). But, if work or study involves complex software, a desktop computer with more RAM and storage might be your best bet.

The Best Desktop

Lenovo IdeaCentre 3 27" i5 16GB 512GB Touch AIO

This slim, all-in-one PC has a 512GB SSD. That’s ample space to store work files, programs and multimedia.

The Best Laptop

Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 13.5" i5 8GB 256GB Platinum

Work (or play!) no matter where the day takes you with a whopping 18-hour battery life and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Monitor

You’ll be staring at it for a good chunk of your day, so choosing the right monitor (or second screen to dock with your laptop) is vital for ergonomics and workflow. “With home monitors, it’s all about size, and bigger isn’t always better. A 24-inch monitor is ideal for a small, narrow desk in a cosy, working corner. If you’ve got room to play with, go all out with a huge 49-inch monitor instead of a double or triple screen setup,” says Jason Tavoletti, The Good Guys Buyer – Tech.

Save On Your First Monitor

Dell 24" FHD Monitor

Banish eye strain with the low blue-light technology of this monitor, perfect for compact home offices or a second screen.

Splurge On Your First Monitor

Samsung 32" Curved UHD Monitor

This curved beauty with 4K display fits more of your documents and web pages on-screen for less scrolling, multiple window comfort and next-level visual detail.

“If you’ve got room to play with, go all out with a huge 49-inch monitor instead of a double or triple screen set-up.” Jason Tavoletti, The Good Guys Buyer – Tech

The Keyboard And Mouse

Type, point, click… you know the deal, and you’ll need a keyboard and mouse to get it all done. Sure, a laptop has a touchpad and keyboard, but upgrading to standalone options (or wireless ones) can boost ergonomics, help you type faster and more accurately, and jazz up your desk layout. If your work involves numbers, a keyboard with a number pad is a game changer!

Save On Your Computer Accessories

Logitech Corded Mouse and Keyboard MK120

The full-size keyboard features responsive, quiet keys that can withstand up to 10 million keystrokes, while the contoured mouse boasts a 1000 DPI optical sensor for smooth, accurate cursor control.

Splurge On Your Computer Accessories

Logitech MX Anywhere 3S Mouse

The aesthete’s choice, this compact mouse is designed for comfort, speed and ultimate convenience with its ability to connect seamlessly via Bluetooth to up to three devices, so you can scroll, click and navigate with ease between your laptop, tablet and phone.

The Printer

Hard copies of assignments, scanned documents for emailing, PDFs requiring signatures… having a home printer for all that is undeniably handy. Entry-level laser printers are affordable and compact, especially if you only need black and white ink. But, if you print regularly – and in colour – invest in an inkjet printer with a continuous ink supply system (CISS). This means less frequent cartridge changes – a win for the planet and your back pocket.

Save On Your First Printer

Canon Pixma Home Inkjet MFC Printer

A printer, scanner and copier with Wi-Fi, meaning you can free up space on your desk by setting it up in another room.

Splurge On Your First Printer

Epson WorkForce Multifunction Printer

For clear, crisp financials and documents, plus signature-ready copies in a flash. Protect the earth and your bank balance with double-sided printing.

The Extras

Now that you’ve nailed the essentials, look to these lifestyle extras to add extra pep to your workdays:

A standing desk for burning calories while you toil. The Ergovida Monitor Electric Workstation lifts your screen at the press of a button
Noise-cancelling headphones for drowning out distractions, and
A smart speaker for your “get stuff done” playlist.

For the best home office tech, visit The Good Guys in-store or online, and make setting up your first home office a breeze.